According to the account of the expulsion from Spain written by an Italian Jew, the Expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492 was an event that marked a tragic moment for the Jewish communities living in the Iberian Peninsula where they had enjoyed a relatively long period of economic prosperity (Marcus, 1983). The expulsion of the Jews took place after the Spanish rulers drove out the last Moorish influence, concentrated in Grenada, earlier in 1492 (Barnavi, 2002). Christopher Columbus diary begins with a reference to the Spanish Expulsion, “In the same month in which their Majesties [Ferdinand and Isabella] issued the edict that all Jews should be driven out of the kingdom and its territories, in the same month they gave me the order to undertake with sufficient men my expedition of discovery to the Indies” and as such, on July 30th, the entire Jewish community was expelled from Spain (Rabbi Telushkin, 1992). According to the Italian account, the exiled population encountered numerous severe challenges in their attempts to leave Spain as limitations had been imposed whether on preventing them from leaving or on their means of departure, and these challenges continued to take a toll on them while the Sephardi Jews sought to find other places of residence where they could establish themselves as a community (Marcus, 1983).
According to the Italian account, the Jewish community of Spain before 1492 is described to be as “the most distinguished Jewish settlement in Europe” (Marcus, 1983). This account was written in Hebrew in April-May, 1495 by an Italian Jew. He related that the main Jewish communities were located in Castille, Catalonia, Aragon, Galicia, Majorca, Minorca, the Basque provinces, the Islands of Sardinia and Sicily, Valencia, and Andalusia (1483). The Jews were given a three month period to leave the country. The estimated number of Jews who left Spain varies, and the author of this document suggests 250,000 people though the numbers range from 100,000 to 800,000 people. The prominent Rabbis of the time were engaged in trying to annul the decree of expulsion, though this proved unsuccessful, and some were even converted to Christianity instead. The Jews of Spain tried to pay money to stay in the country though this was not accepted as the Prior of Santa Cruz (Torquemada), the head of the Inquisition, was strongly opposed.
Seeing they have no other alternative but leaving, the Jews of Spain were forced to sell their possessions at extremely low prices, and since no gold or silver could be carried out of the country, they had to carry instead merchandises of clothes and skins. Some Jews went to Portugal where they were allowed to stay only shortly, as the King acted ruthlessly towards them, and some were made slaves while children were sent to deserted places to settle them where they died. Other destinations the Jews went to were North Africa, where fellow Jews did their best to help them out. However, getting to the desired destinations was a gruesome and dangerous journey, and many were killed or died on the road due to the harsh conditions they encountered. A great number of refugees died while trying to reach safety, while others were charged exorbitant sums and dumped overboard in the waters of the ocean (Rabbi Telushkin, 1991). Many Jews were also killed because rumors spread that they may have ingested gold and diamonds, and brigands knifed them to search their stomachs. The King of Naples was friendlier to the Jews, and the Jewish community living there helped them, and even the Dominican monks who were normally opposed intervened. Yet due to scarce resources, many died and some Jewish children were sold to Christians as to save their lives. Other exiled people spread to the other counties of Italy and to Turkey (Marcus, 1983).
The causes of this expulsion included the religious zeal of the Church, Queen, and the desire of the masses to make Spain a only-Christian territory given the background of the crusades and the activity of the Spanish Inquisition, especially after having won the crusades against the last Moorish settlement in Grenada. Moreover, the official reason that was given was to get rid of the Jews because they influenced the new Christians and called upon them to return to Judaism. The expulsion of the Jews in Spain was the culmination of the repressive policies that began since the 1470’s (Barnavi, 2002), and it was directed by the head of the Spanish Inquisition, Father Tomas de Torquemada (Rabbi Telushkin, 194). He believed that the Spanish rulers should get rid of the Jews because they would influence the Jewish converts to Christianity to return to Judaism, and as such he persuaded Isabella and Ferdinand that this was a “legitmate act of self defense” (Barnavi, 2002). After unifying Spain under Christian rule after defeating the Muslim forces and conquering Grenada, the Spanish rulers decided to send the Jews out of the country as to aid the Spanish Inquisition in getting rid of those responsible for Judaizing (Barnavi, 2002).
There were two ways in which one could come under the scrutinity of the Spanish Inquisition: first, if one was suspected of secretly practicing Judaism and second, if one was not being enough of a sincere Christian in their practice, though false accusations prevailed as well (Scheindlin, 1998). The expulsion decree was dated March 30th, 1492, and it declared that the Jews should leave the country within four months (Telushkin, 1991). As such, the Jews living in Spain, were forced to sell their properties at extremely low prices. The most fortunate Jews went to Turkey were the Sultan Bajazet was happy to receive them. Others went to the neighboring Portugal. However, in 1496, King Manuel of Portugal was to marry Isabella, the daughter of the monarchs, and though reluctantly, he also agreed to expel the Jews. Only eight Jews were expelled, the others were given the ultimatum to convert or be killed. The Spanish Jews went to Turkey, North Africa, Italy, the Arab world and other parts of Europe.
Observing the terms in which the Spanish expulsion was carried out, it is surprising to find how in three-four months, the Jewish community of Spain, which held a prominent role in the economy of Spain, was forced to leave. The standard of exclusion from the Iberian Peninsula was based on membership to Christianity, and all other factors, such as intellectual achievements, contribution to the welfare of society, moral character, and most importantly, the fact that beyond any of this, those who were so harshly treated were after all, human beings, any of this was never taken into consideration. Religious fanaticism is a powerful factor, which if manipulated by charismatic individuals, can cloud judgment and justify any injustice, including murder. Moreover, observing how the Jews were treated while trying to leave Spain, such as being killed to look for hidden treasures in their stomachs, is a proof of a cruel and inhumane act towards those left without defense. On a lighter note, the Jewish scholar Abraham Jushua Heschel said that “The Jews of [Spain]…had held imposing positions [before their expulsion]. The conquest of the New World was accomplished without their collaboration. Had they remained on the Iberian Peninsula, they most probably would have taken part in the enterprises of the conquistadores. When the later arrived in Haiti, they found over one million inhabitants. Twenty years later one thousand remained. The desperate Jews of 1492 could not know what a favor had been done for them”(Rabbi Telushkin, 1992).
References:
Eli Barnavi ed. A Historical Atlas of the Jewish People. From the Time of the Patriarchs of the Present, Schocken: New York 1992
College Course in Sephardi Jewish History
Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know about The Jewish Religion, its People, and its History, William Morrow, Inc: New York 1991
Jacob Marcus, The Jew in the Medieval World: A Sourcebook, 315-1791, (New York: JPS, 1983), 51-55
Raymond P. Scheindlin, A Short History of the Jewish People, Oxford University Press: New York 1998
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